Can’t we just all agree that
1) No one here is satisfied about not winning
2) Winning isn’t just going to happen overnight
3) Maybe there’s a reason our coaches (yes there’s more than one) are pushing the game plan that we don’t know about

Is that seriously so hard?

Don I like point 3.

Maybe the players are not aware of it either.

Port with a new game plan and 4 first gamers seemed to do okay against a reasonable team.

But you are right. Give BB a few more games before we play hangman.

We spent a huge chunk of training at the session i went to practicing kicking it long down the boundary line from defence to attack

Then did it in the game

It's clearly a plan

That might be the perception but it's not the reality. 28 minutes into the 3rd quarter, we led 90-84 for corridor disposals.

We went fast and through the corridor in the first quarter and we had our arses kicked. Richmond dropped a winger back after the centre bounces and we were continually kicking to a 6-7 forward line.
Bolton mentioned in his presser that we were fumbly which put us under pressure and we played too quickly when Richmond dropped the spare back.
Our tactic was correct in the second quarter in that we were more patient with our ball use. That gave Richmond more opportunity to protect the corridor but it also gave us the opportunity to use our spare around the ball.

I'm sure every coach would like to go through the middle of the ground at every opportunity but sometimes the situation doesn't allow for it. Our forwards were fumbling the ball, we were being intercepted by their spares and our disposals were under pressure. 5 minutes into the second quarter, Richmond had already scored 3.2 from defensive possession chains. Last year they averaged 21 points for the whole game.

I credit the coaches for turning the tide and giving us strategies to get back into the game. Look at Essendon** yesterday to see what happens when a coach doesn't have that ability.
We scored 2 goals in the second quarter alone from forward half stoppages which we have been doing well in the JLT as well. Consider last year we averaged less than 1 goal per game. Instead of blasting it in to an outnumbered situation, we were more patient which allowed us to put set up defensively behind the ball.
We won the clearances, we won the inside 50 count and we kicked 4 goals from getting the ball inside 50 and retaining it there.
The third quarter we continued with the contested game, we were on top in the clearances (12-7), inside 50 count (15-12) and forward half intercepts (6-0).

In the last quarter we let them get on top with the contested footy and disappointingly dropped off in the last 15 minutes but there were plenty of positives IMO.

We showed that our players could adapt in-game and turn the momentum of the contest. With Charlie, Fasolo and McGovern struggling to have an impact, we created goals from ground balls instead of persisting with something that wasn't working on the night. We have looked significantly improved to date IMO. We were strong against Hawthorn who showed on the weekend that they're still a very good side. We beat the Bombers, the Pies fell in against us and we ran the best side of the past couple of years for a fair portion of the game with some of our better players struggling to impact.

I liked some of the strategies. Fasolo as the deep forward didn't work on Thursday as we couldn't get the ball deep enough but I think it's a strong strategy moving forward. Their players handled the sweaty footy better than ours did. Their bigger bodies held up for longer and their strength in the contest was still better than ours. Cuningham probably lost the ball 4 or 5 times from lack of strength in the tackle. Whether is be coughing it up or being penalised for incorrect disposal. SPS coughed it up in the defensive 50 in the 4th quarter which cost a goal. Fisher was easily dispossessed a number of times. That wont happen with longer in the system.
It cant change overnight. It can only improve and I think we have. There's still plenty to work on but we're heading strongly in the right direction IMHO.

So.....

do we use the midyear draft for a small
forward...?

surely there's an overlooked zippy lad
in the lower leagues...an Eddie Catoggio
if you will...!


kindest regards tommi

on footy classified now